To What End?
by Aya Diefair
Summary: When Gellert's plan to bring Albus with him for The Greater Good doesn't pan out, he takes matters into his own hands.


**Competition/Challenge Block:****  
Written for/Stacked with:** Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Term 11); Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition (Season 7); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 2)**  
House/Team:** Ravenclaw (Hogwarts); Wigtown Wanderers (Quidditch League)  
**Role/Position**: Prefect (Hogwarts); Keeper (QL)  
**QL Prompt: **Grapes of Wrath: A character's suffering is caused by another character (or a character causes another character's suffering).

**Term (Assignment):** Term 11; Assignment 7  
**Subject (Task):** Divination (Task 1: Write a fic featuring **Gellert Grindelwald**, Sybill Trelawney, or Cassandra Vablatsky as the main character.)  
**Fall Bingo: **3D (Leaves)  
**Word Count:** 1,720 words (per Google Docs)  
**Beta(s):** Bailey

* * *

**To What End?**

Gellert Grindelwald awoke on the morning of the autumnal equinox knowing that the change of the seasons was going to bring the beginning of something much more than the shifting of nature's climate. Today, the first steps that mother nature intended to bring forth humankind's evolution when she birthed magic into the world would finally be properly restored to order and control.

Today was Gellert's seventeenth birthday, and with it came another reluctant gift from his great aunt.

The wand that was now concealed in his robe pocket might as well have been the very same one that was snapped by the hands of Drumstrang's Headmaster, given how closely they matched. Gellert's great aunt prized her family's heirlooms, and her great, great grandfather and his twin brother possessed very similar wands that she eventually came into possession of. Being from a poor family, Bathilda had gifted him one of their wands on his first day of school to offset having to purchase one, and it had served him quite loyally and efficiently for a hand-me-down. This ebony wand felt slightly different from its twin, but Gellert knew it would take to him just as well soon.

Stepping out into the cold, foggy morning air, Gellert let out a smoky breath while pulling his cloak further over his shoulders to ward off the twilight's chill. A warming charm would have been an easy fix, but he liked the bite of winter's warning on his skin because it was a reminder of what was to come. The leaves that crunched under his boots as he walked down the bricked road was a soothing background noise for the quiet, sleepy town of Godric's Hollow. The anticipation he felt building as he approached the Dumbledore cottage was almost becoming too much because he knew his vision for magickind was finally going to be put into motion.

Someone he wasn't expecting was waiting at the gate, the fog already dissipated around him, giving Gellert pause as he neared the fence lining the property. He made sure to not seem surprised that Aberforth somehow learned of Albus' and his plans to slip away at the twilight hour and wished to intervene. The child was just as inquisitive as his brother and unfortunately applied it all the wrong ways.

"Shouldn't you be in school, Aberforth," he taunted, knowing full well that Aberforth was incapable of attending due to the obligations that bound him here.

Gellert watched the younger Dumbledore push open the gate and pass the threshold of protective wards blanketing the cottage. His sigh lingered between them in the wispy fog that offered no intention to humor him with a response to the question. "I have begged my brother to walk away from this madness before, but since you dropped into his life not so long ago, his thirst for change cannot be thwarted any longer."

Gellert allowed a lazy smirk to rest on his features. "That is the point of change, Aberforth. Why you yourself refuse to accept that what we must do is the only way to achieve what is desired by the masses baffles us."

Aberforth shook his head in disagreement. "And to know that you are unable to see what chaos you want to bring upon our kind is beyond appalling. It is a sickness, and I am no longer going to stand by and allow you to continue to manipulate my brother and bend him to your will."

"I believe that is his decision to make and not yours," Gellert said, allowing the frost of the air to lace his words. "Albus is perfectly capable of speaking for himself."

"And yet he won't. Not against you, never against you." Aberforth took a shaky breath, giving Gellert the satisfaction that the young man was utterly terrified of him. "He used to be more compliant with my reasoning, but you've ensnared him in ways I am incapable of ever doing in such a short time. I know that you are perfectly aware of this, and if that blood pact that encircles your neck says anything, it tells me that you're the only one who is capable of releasing him from your twisted cause."

Gellert couldn't help but raise his brow at this. It seemed that intuition was another trait that ran in the Dumbledore line as well, but again Aberforth wasted these gifts. If only he could see what he and Albus envisioned—having two Dumbledores would be quite useful to the cause.

"Am I wrong to say that you wish for your dear sister to no longer need to be hidden from society? From our kind as well as the Muggles?"

"Don't you dare use Ariana against me!" Aberforth spat. "I will never be swayed by your silver tongued poison of empty promises!"

He cupped his hands together in front of him then, appearing like the beggar Gellert always saw him as. "I only wish for you to release my brother from his obligation to you. He no longer has the ability to say no to you, so I ask you, for the sake of my family, please release him, and I will forever keep your warped plans for magickind a secret."

Gellert always found begging pathetic and a futile behavior. It was like a tick for him in a sense, something that was more irritating than flattering or appealing. If people felt like they had to resort to begging for something they wanted from someone they feared, they already knew they had lost. He set his jaw then, seeing the bright orange glow now painting the horizon through the foggy sky. Albus was running late, but he now knew that Aberforth apprehended him in some way, thus keeping him from leaving.

"What a shame," Gellert tsked, taking a step forward, he placed a hand on the fence, feeling the incredible magic that stemmed from it. "To know that you are content keeping the poor girl caged like an animal the same way your mother had, and that you're willing to forgo your schooling and life to continue doing so while forcing your brother give up his life as well to do the very same. Such a vicious cycle, that is no way to truly live for either of you."

"Silence!"

"And you say I am manipulative." Gellert chuckled darkly. "Your father at least had the proper idea to take action rather than accept the unfortunate consequences of something otherwise out of his control. Too bad he didn't pass that mindset onto both of his sons."

Aberforth had his wand drawn amd, pointing it at Gellert, he shouted a silencing spell. "I said silence! You need to learn when to hold your tongue."

Gellert revealed his own wand then, silently removing the spell that sealed his lips. "Such bravery you've managed to muster, but using the education of what? A barely third year education against me is quite foolish."

"What is going on?"

Albus happened to emerge from the cottage then, allowing Gellert's concern for him to wash away. Aberforth, however, was thoroughly outraged, and turned his attention to his brother at the inquiry while Gellert skillfully lowered his wand enough to show he was merely wielding it in defense, giving the illusion of Aberforth intending to attack.

"Albus, this man is utterly insane! How can you not see it? Has he clouded your reasoning so much that you've forgotten about your family?"

Albus scowled at Aberforth, nodding at his wand arm. "Lower your wand, brother. Dueling here will do us no good."

"And since when have you considered what is good for us?" Aberforth snapped. "Ever since Grindelwald entered your life you've abandoned your responsibilities! You've neglected to care for Ariana, and you may not think she notices, but she feels your absence and distance! It upsets her, and who is there having to calm her and prevent her episodes?"

"He fails to understand that we wish to correct our world government's stance on our secrecy in order to truly help your sister live a life she deserves, Albus," Gellert interjected.

Aberforth shook his head in frantic disagreement. "Do you truly believe these lies, Albus? Do you honestly think that he wishes to cause our kind anguish and turmoil for her?"

Albus looked between them before settling on his brother. Gellert watched as his expression hardened with his answer. "It is the only way, Aberforth. For The Greater Good."

"So you're abandoning us for him? He is practically a stranger to you, and yet here you are, falling for his schemes and lies!"

"I don't want to talk anymore. I'm sick of talking. Talking isn't getting us anywhere, it never has got us anywhere, Aberforth," Albus hissed, approaching the gate now. "I have made my decision. You have to accept that."

"You do understand that if you leave, we will have no choice but to follow you," Aberforth said frantically.

Gellert knew that tone well, a last ditch effort to argue his lost case on the matter. He had swayed Albus enough to hold true to his words. The Greater Good. He liked how that always sounded when it rolled off Albus' tongue to describe their vision.

"You know I am not capable of caring for her alone, especially when you wish for me to remain in school," Aberforth continued, seeming to see something change in Albus' body language that Gellert couldn't see at this distance. "You cannot have both worlds, Albus. If you leave, you'll be dragging us with you, and Ariana will not take to such drastic change well, as you are aware… do you truly want her to suffer from your selfishness?"

Gellert narrowed his eyes then, finding the extent of Albus' silence disturbing, and worried if Aberforth really had broken down his barriers once more.

"If you truly believe that what you're about to do is best for your sister, to drag her out into the world with no structure or care in order to leave a path of chaos and destruction behind, then go," Aberforth said, uttering the last words just above a whisper.

Gellert felt that tick again, and the second he saw Albus lower his head in shame over what his brother said, Gellert had raised his wand in retaliation at his apparent defeat.

"_Crucio!"_


End file.
